One of the most important tasks is to understand how things are linked together. With enough "study" we can sense these connections sometimes before we articulate them. The intellect and the emotions can nurture each other. Body and experience make each other. Psychotherapy and social theory can nurture each other. Place and livelihood make each other. Mysticism and semiotics can nurture each other. Most of this is known, but not by many.

Monday, June 13, 2005

Yesterday, I got back into the musical swing of things a bit. A friend of mine, knowing that I like music, especially drumming, took me around to a funeral to listen to the performers. As I approached the circle to give some money to them (as is the custom), I realized that, by chance, the leader of the drummers was the same guy who'd overseen my music lessons two years ago in Douala. He passed me his shakers and I played with the ensemble briefly. They finished shortly, and a different ensemble took over. They played some music I'd never heard before. I was told that these rhythms were very complicated and very old. The slit-gong, or "telegram" (hollowed-out log with carefully placed holes), was particularly captivating, and I might focus on that instrument in further lessons and recordings. The performers during this were all masked and dancers wore shells on their calves which added to the sonic tapestry. A lot of fun and very compelling.